Our niece, Marisa and her children on TV

We were excited to see a link to a Tampa TV channel in our in-box yesterday. To our surprise, Marisa, Jake and "Miss I'm Never Without My Beads" Mia were featured in a toy review spot on their local channel. Since I'm not quite sure how to post this, just paste this link into your browser and take a peek at the new Twister!

http://www.tampabays10.com/video/default.aspx?aid=74614

Watching the meter spin.....

The 25 foot light tree is up, the parabola and reverse scallops have been rewired, red LEDs line both sides of the drive way and we are ready for Santa. We shoveled another 4 inches last night but there were 8 inches on top of the hot tub. You've got to love 'drifting'! When we got in the hot tub this morning, we were both wearing hats. It was 4.6 on the thermometer. The horses out back were pawing the ground to try and uncover a bit of green before they got their daily 'flakes'.

Our meter will also be spinning with the addition of 5 high bay light fixtures, compliments of our neighbor. Jim rewired them and installed 4 in the garage and the last one over my cutting table in the sewing room. It's a dream come true - 6, T8's at ceiling height. I have never had light like that. Jim, you're the greatest.

It's Official - We have snow....

And the man that lives in our tree in the backyard doesn't look too happy about it.

Last year we had 107 inches in Madison,

a new record. We hope to get a break this

year but there's nothing like 107 inches to

get you in the mood for spring!

Look Who Stopped By...

Eric and Rita joined us on Saturday for a meal after they watched the Badgers Men's Basketball team run their opponents into the ground. At least the girl from Illinois wore red. I told Eric he had to stop wearing flowers in his hair. It's not the 70's...

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent a great day at the Lake House with friends, family, food and fun. Check out that turkey, made on the Weber. Jim's speciality: a Norman Rockwell bird with not one second of basting. It's amazing how a little mulled cider and pumpkin pie can round out a day. Now we will sit back and wait for Christmas.

Sweet Sisterhood

I spent the weekend at my sister's home which is located at the end of the earth, otherwise knows as 'so far south you are in Will County and almost in Indiana'! What a place for a north side girl....Typical sister weekend; drive down, eat out, shop, movie, stay in PJ's until noon, send the coffee slave to get hot lattes, shop, eat-in, drive home. What a weekend!! Her new bathroom is soooo cool, you could learn how to flamenco and bull fight all in the course of a ahem.... (never mind). "Can jew say rojo?" ja, ja, ja.

I was presented with a gift upon arrival. My very own laminated map of Madrid. As usual, NO8DO, "she has not abandoned me"!

You will be with me in every step I take...

Love ya Sis

Golf School Gals

Flashback to 1962 - Linda Trebels, Nancy Hutchings, Donna Leusch, Gail Kipp, Colleen Gibson, Lorel Marquardt and Bonnie Strege. Young girls never even imagining that the future would bring the banning of the bra. No WAY!!! - we just GOT them.....

Flashforward to 2008 - 46 years later - Egg Harbor Cafe - Everyone is wearing the appropriate undergarments and discussing grandchildren and grandpuppies; enjoying retirement or longing for it; 60th birthday surprizes and 40th wedding anniversaries. Girls we grew up with and then grew away from, rekindling those recess friendships. My thanks to Linda for getting a group together and to everyone else for attending. I thought nothing could top the 29th 8th Grade Class Reunion. Getting to know all of you all over again was a blessing. Hope to see you all soon!

Donation Specialists!

Here's a few pictures of our favorite manure makers at the Notstad Farm. Those Belgiums can really pull a sled!






These guys and gals are BIG!!!

Kevin's girls, Makenzie and Addison were on hand to show off their riding skills. They remind me of a little girl at horse camp about 29

years ago.

The final result after unloading 8 tons of manure. Jim got busy with the rototiller and it's all worked in now, ready for transplanting next spring.

Sushi ala ECI

We promised our Utah engineering friends a Sushi dinner they wouldn't forget. I think we succeeded! We and Griffin, Mark, Jon, Garon, Barb ate until we couldn't eat anymore and then we ate some more. Of course, we hit Ben and Jerry's afterward. There's always room for ice cream and you need something sweet to cut the wasabi & salt overload. Those that wanted to got to try Warm Saki and Barb was ambitious - she had a Japanese Margarita! I'm not quite sure what was in it....but she liked it!

Barney and Dynee's Deck

The deck is completed now, but the satisfaction lingers on. The former raft size deck was a means to exit the home towards the garage, period. The new deck has been enlarged and boasts three sets of stairs, each with a specific purpose. The photos of the stairs leading to the sunken patio is an engineering dream come true. Just the framing alone took 12 hours. Every angle was calculated multiple times and some even had to be cut with a hand saw. The attention to detail is easy to spot. I'm so proud of these steps and the man that designed and engineered them.

Jim's New Double-Compound Miter Saw

This Milwaukee saw is the greatest. The precision is phenomenal. Crown moulding is a snap now with adjustments by the DEGREE! This is truly a HOT saw!















Here's Jim's latest project. A white board on an easel for Jim's Dad and Joey. This makes appointments and golf dates easy to remember and phone numbers at hand when they need them.

Our New Dog

We brought a new little guy home yesterday, totally housebroken. However, he spends a lot of time sniffing around our fichus tree in our dining area. Hmmm.....

Mick and Donna's New Deck

A little fence removal opened up their backyard for a serious deck replacement. They have a 2 level deck with 3 access points and 2 sets of stairs and a little garden planter to boot. Good Job Jim and Scott!

Vacation to Rhinelander, September 2008

We had a relaxing couple of days on Tom Doyle Lake. Our visit and bike ride with Sue and Al Drum in Presque Isle was special, as always. We love having friends in a variety of locations! Check out their new shop with greenhouse in the background.

Labor Day Fun in Janesville

Eric and Rita Beck had a great get together with friends and family. Greg and Nathalie from South Milwaukee made it over for a day of barbeque fun. Dick Thompson, Randy Meehan, Cathy and Jerry Gibbs, Barb Tapovatz and us rounded out the group. Testicle Toss was introduced to the group and we all had fun playing.

Sushi Demolition August 2008

As usual, we plowed through our meal like we hadn't eaten in weeks. What is it about sushi that does that to us? We are hopeless addicts! Sushi Muramoto is the place in Madison and Barney and Dynee are always game! As usual, an ice cream chaser at Ben and Jerry's - Coffee, Coffee, Buzz, Buzz is my fav.

Olbrich Gardens 2008